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Bruneian outfit DPMM FC have announced that former Blackburn manager Steve Kean will be their new coach in 2014.

DPMM, who are currently plying their trade in Singapore’s Great Eastern-YEO’s S.League, have had a disappointing season and can finish no higher than seventh with just three rounds remaining.

They also failed to successfully defend their Starhub League Cup title as they were beaten 4-0 by Balestier Khalsa in the final, and also bowed out of the RHB Singapore Cup at the quarter-final stage after losing 5-4 on aggregate to Philippine giants Global.

Their displays this season, which have at times been woeful compared to the lofty standards they set for themselves last term, led to current boss Vjeran Simunic announcing that he was parting ways with the club at the end of the campaign.

And it has not taken DPMM long to secure a big-name replacement after they announced on their official website on Saturday evening that a one-year deal had been struck with Kean.

The 46-year-old’s only previous managerial stint was with Blackburn, after he was handed the top job – initially on an interim basis – after the sacking of Sam Allardyce in December 2010.

Despite having just half a season to turn things around, Kean managed to keep Rovers in the Barclays Premier League, although they were ultimately relegated the following season.

The Scot was then tasked to lead them straight back to the top flight but just a couple of months into the 2012/13 season, he left Ewood Park after claiming he had been “forced to resign” with Blackburn third in the Championship.

In the same announcement on their website, DPMM also confirmed that Brazilian playmaker Rodrigo Tosi would be retained for next season, and announced their intention of signing a marquee player for 2014.

This has however cast doubts over the future of the rest of their foreign contingent, namely Brazilian centre-back Tales dos Santos, Portuguese forward Joao Moreira and Lithuanian Arturas Rimkevicius.

Tosi, who joined the club midway through this campaign, scored the only goal of the game on Saturday as DPMM beat Hougang United 1-0 at the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

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Some corrections. Joao Moreira and Arturas Rimkevicius were returned to their respective countries some time ago, after their contract was prematurely terminated. As for Tales Dos Santos, he’s still with DPMM, for now.